Upholstery installation



Oct. 22, 1935. 5 JOHNSEN 2,018,640

UPHOLSTERY INSTAbLAT I ON Filed Nov. 14. 1934 I win 2" HenrzZSerenh Jofinselz Q9 MJ r 2;

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Patented Oct. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES UPHOLSTERY INSTALLATION Henrik Sever-in Johnson, Detroit, Mich assignor to United-Carr Fastener Corporation, Cambridge, Masa, a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 14, 1934, Serial No. 753,019

6 Claims. (01. 45-138) My invention relates to improvements in fastener-secured upholstery installations and fasteners for the same.

In the drawing, which illustrates a preferred form of my invention:--

Figure 1 is a rear view of an upholstering panel before attaching to the support and showing my improved fasteners;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing how the fastener engages the support;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the fastener per se;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the fastener as shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the fastener.

Referring first to the fastener per se, I have shown a sheet metal stud having a base I with a sharpened and slightly up-turned end 2. Extending from the opposite end of the base and parallel to it are a pair of arms 3 (Fig. 5), whose ends 4 are bent at right angles to the base and arms. The ends 4 are formed with outwardly curved sides and are adapted to move toward each other scissor-wise when forced into an aperture of suitable size, as is shown in Fig. 2. The arms 3 and the base i are so spaced one from the other that they will grip a thickness of cardboard or .the like between themselves, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The upholstering panel 5 which is used with my improved fastener presents a distinct advantage over those types in present use. Fastener-holding means is provided by turning back the edges 5a of the panel (Fig. 2) so that a portion of a fastener is received between the edge 50: and the main body of the panel. The covering material 6 is stretched over the front face of the cardboard panel 5 and the edges are folded back over the turned-back edge 5a of cardboard and secured (as by gluing) to the back side of the main body of the panel. This construction insures a tight fit at the front of the panel, which is of course most desirable. In other panels using the turned back edge, the fabric has been glued to the panel in the space formed by the turned-back edge so that the base of the fastener could be inserted. My improved fastener, having a sharpened end, may be pushed through the covering material into the space formed by the flange. serves to hold the fastener in correct position.

It has been proposed inother installationsof this general type merely to fold the fabric over the flange on the panel and depend on the gripping action of the fasteners to hold it in place. I have found, however, that the fabric tends to work Thus the fabric loose from the flange between the fasteners. By stretching the fabric beyond the edge of the flange, as I have done, and gluing or otherwise attaching it to the panel, the installation is made permanent and is free from any tendency on the 5 part of the fabric to work loose.

As described above, the sharpened end 2 of the fastener base is up-turned. Thus when the fasteners are clipped on the flange 5a, the ends 2 bite into the panel very near the edge and aid in makl0 ing a close and secure joint between the extreme edge of the panel and the frame structure 1, as is best shown in Fig. 2.

By using my improved fastener, the panels may be completed before they are installed inthe auto- 15 mobile body, and there is no danger of the fabric working loose from the backing during shipment. The fasteners may be inserted at the time the panels are installed in the body, insuring perfect alignment of the fasteners with the apertures in 2. the framework.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred form of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereby, as the scope of my invention is best defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A trimming installation comprising, in combination, a relatively stiff backing material having an edge turned back in substantial parallelism with the body thereof, a flexible covering 30 material covering the front face of said backing and said turned-back portion and secured to the rear face of said backing material, a supporting member providing snap fastener means for engagement with cooperating snap fastener mem- 35 bars, a plurality of individual snap fastener members securing said backing to said support, each of said fasteners having a base provided with a sharp pointed portion for piercing said covering material and each of said bases being 40 located in the space between said backing and the turned-back portion thereof, and means carried by each base for cooperating with the means on said supporting structure whereby said backing is secured to said support.

2. A trimming installation comprising, in combination, a relatively stifi' backing material having an edge turned back into substantial parallelism with the body thereof, a flexible covering material covering the front face of said 50 backing and extending over said turned-back portion and beyond the edge thereof and covering partially the rear face of said backing, a supporting member having an aperture, a sheet metal snap fastener member having a flat base 55 sharpened at one end for the purpose of piercing said covering material and said base located in the space between said backing and the turnedback edge thereof, a pair of flat arms integral with said base and substantially parallel thereto located at the opposite side of said turnedback edge and cooperating with said base to grip said edge, and the free ends of said arms extending away from said backing through the aperture in said support and bearing against the sides of the aperture to secure said backing to said support.

3. An upholstery installation comprising, in combination, a relatively stiff backing material having an edge turned back into substantial parallelism with the body thereof, a flexible covering material covering the front face of said backing including said turned-back portion and said covering material extending beyond the edge of said turned-back portion and secured to the main body of said backing at the rear face thereof, a supporting member having means providing a plurality of apertures, a plurality of in- ,dividual sheet metal fasteners securing said backing to said supporting member, each of said fasteners having a relatively flat base sharpened-at one end for the purpose of piercing said covering material, said base located in the space between said backing and the turned-back portion thereof and said sharpened end engaging said turned back portion of the backing, a pair of flat arms integral with said base and extending from an end thereof in substantially parallel relationship thereto at the opposite side of said turned-back portion from the base, said base and said arms cooperating to engage said turnedback portion in a spring grip, and the free ends of said arms extending away therefrom at substantially a right angle thereto and adapted to move toward each other edgewise, said ends of each fastener passing through an aperture in support.

4. A trimming installation comprising, in

combination, a relatively stifl material providing 5 a form, fastener holding means adjacent to one edge of said form, a flexible covering material covering one side of said form and lapping over the fastener holding means and a snap fastener member for securing the trimming installation to a support, said snap fastener having a sharp pointed portion piercing the lapped-over portion of the covering and lying beneath said fastener holding means.

5, A trimming installation comprising, in combination, a relatively stiff material providing a form, fastener holding means in strip form adJaeent to one edge of said form, a flexible covering material covering one side of said form and lapping over the fastener holding means and a snap, fastener member for securing the trimming installation to a support, said snap fastener having a sharp pointed portion piercing the lapped-over portion of the covering and lying beneath said fastener holding means.

6. A trimming installation comprising, in combination, a relatively stiff backing material having an edge turned back into substantial parallelism with the body thereof, a flexible covering material covering the front face of said backing and extending over said turned-back portion and beyond the edge thereof and partially covering the rear face of said backing, a supporting structure, a sheet metal fastener member having a flat base sharpened at one end 5 for the purpose of piercing said covering material and said base located in the space between said backing and the turned-back edge thereof, and means whereby said base may be secured to the supporting structure.

'HENRIK SEVERIN JOHNSEN. 

